Curriculum and Instruction

Discipline Coordinator

Candace Schlein, (816) 235-5754, schleinc@umkc.edu

Curriculum and Instruction is a discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program administered by the School of Graduate Studies.

Note: The discipline-specific requirements listed here are in addition to the requirements listed in Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Application Procedure and Minimum Criteria for Admission and Minimum Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements.

Discipline-Specific Admission Requirements

Applicants who designate Curriculum and Instruction as their primary discipline will be expected to have a Master's degree; and a GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, covering all post-baccalaureate work completed to date.

If the discipline is selected as the primary discipline and the dissertation research will have a primary orientation in Curriculum and Instruction, the student must obtain the agreement of a member of the doctoral faculty in Curriculum and Instruction to serve as research advisor before the student can be admitted.

The applicant must provide the following supplementary documentation:

  1. Written recommendations from appropriate professors and practitioners in the field (selected by student).
  2. Brief narrative stating research interest
  3. Sample research or scholarly writing

Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines

Chemistry, Computer Science, EconomicsEducational Leadership Policy and Foundations, English, History, Mathematics, Physics, Social Science Consortium

Core Program Requirements

All students with Curriculum and Instruction as primary discipline are required to complete:

Curriculum and Instruction Course Requirements (24 hours minimum)
EDUC-C&I 5618Survey Of Research In Curriculum3
or EDUC-C&I 5620 Seminars In Theories Related To Curriculum
EDUC-C&I 5626Seminar in Multicultural Perspectives In Education3
EDUC-C&I 5570Curriculum And Instruction In Technology3
or EDUC-C&I 5572 Assessing The Role Of Technology In Education
EDUC-C&I XXX15 hours of EDUC-C&I Electives15
Research Course Requirements (12 hours minimum)
EDUC-R&P 5608Introduction To Graduate Research3
EDUC-R&P 5505Statistical Methods I3
EDUC-R&P 5555Statistical Methods II 3 credits; taken instead of EDUC-R&P 5605/56063
EDUC-R&P 5605
EDUC-R&P 5606
Quantitative Analysis I: Regression And Analysis Of Variance
and Quantitative Analysis II : Multivariate Data Analysis 6 credits total; must be taken as a sequence
6
EDUC-R&P 5612Applied Quantitative Research in Education 3 credits; Preeq of EDUC-R&P 5555 or 5605)3
EDUC-R&P 5615Qualitative Research Theory & Design Educational Setting. Part 13
EDUC-R&P 5616Qual Data Collection And Analysis In Educational Settings. Part 2 3 credits; Prereq of EDUC-R&P 56153
All courses taken to fulfill this requirement must be completed during I.Ph.D. program; students may not count coursework completed for previous degree programs to these requirements.
Special Topics (or equivalent experiences or coursework)
Special Topics in the Responsible Conduct of Research: An Introductory Overview
Special Topics in the Responsible Conduct of Research: Human Subjects Research
EDUC-C&I 5697Dissertation Curriculum And Instruction12

 All students with Curriculum and Instruction as a co-discipline are required to complete:

Core Courses
Select one of the following:3
Introduction To Curriculum Theory
Curriculum Design
Curriculum & Instruction For The 21St Century
EDUC-C&I 5618Survey Of Research In Curriculum3
or EDUC-C&I 5620 Seminars In Theories Related To Curriculum
EDUC-C&I 5626Seminar in Multicultural Perspectives In Education3
EDUC-C&I 5570Curriculum And Instruction In Technology3
or EDUC-C&I 5572 Assessing The Role Of Technology In Education
One elective course (3-credit hours)3
Total Credits15

Ph.D. study in Curriculum and Instruction prepares students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds to meet equally diverse career and scholarly goals. Moreover, rather than being a homogeneous field with a relatively uniform approach to Ph.D. study, Curriculum and Instruction encompasses several separate specialized areas, each with its own requirements and expectations regarding doctoral work. Hence, students accepted for the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program with Curriculum and Instruction as their co-discipline may have backgrounds in one of the educational fields represented in the School of Education, Social Work, and Psychological Sciences, in one of the disciplines represented in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, or in a professional field such as criminology, computer science or law. Students accepted with Curriculum and Instruction as their primary discipline would typically have prior academic training and experience in curriculum and instruction. Advisors would tend to be specialists in reading education, physical education, special education, educational psychology, mathematics education, science education or curriculum and instruction. The doctoral student in Curriculum and Instruction may be preparing for teaching and research in higher education, for a curricular or supervisory position in a public school district or for work in a government agency, private foundation or an educational training role in business and industry. Consequently, a single set of minimum standards cannot possibly fit all Ph.D. programs for which Curriculum and Instruction is the primary discipline or co-discipline. Instead, sensitivity to individual student needs and goals, as well as regard for the different approaches to doctoral study represented in the several fields within Curriculum and Instruction, require flexibility and diversity in program planning.

Within the context described, a minimum of 24 hours in Curriculum and Instruction is required of students with Curriculum and Instruction as their primary discipline and a minimum of 15 hours in Curriculum and Instruction is expected of students selecting Curriculum and Instruction as their co-discipline. In no case will a program be drawn up or approved that contains only coursework previously completed. Additional requirements may be set by the student's doctoral supervisory committee on the basis of the individual's program goals, previous academic preparation and relevant prior experiences.

Comprehensive Examination Requirements

(Written and Oral examinations required)

Last week of August, February, and October.